Natural hazards · Apex

Apex, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Apex comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2017. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Apex?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Apex to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Tornadoes8%Heat waves5%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Apex faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Apex flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Apex, from FEMA’s records.

1paid claims since 2017

$1Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20172026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Apex isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Wake County.

Disasters that hit Apex

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Apex itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Apex.

Brought FEMA money into ApexDeclared for Wake County only

2016

Hurricane Matthew

20 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $36K to the Town of Apex for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

87 households applied for aid $150K aid approved

2003

Hurricane Isabel

11 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $81K to the Town of Apex for repairs

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$257K to the Town of Apex for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$24K to the Town of Apex for repairs

Wake County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Apex

Apex and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Carymostly inland floodingModerate

Holly Springsmostly inland floodingLow

Apexmostly inland floodingLow

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Apex covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Apex’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Apex. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Apex total about $14.2M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.